The Ghosts
by KittyGonzales
Summary: Post-BDM, so spoilers for Serenity.  A run-in with an old friend leads the crew of Serenity to discover a way to bring back their fallen friends. Makes references to my story "The Pilot" but you don't need to read it. Whoops, I mean, read it! Read it now!
1. Chapter 1

**Something I didn't have room to mention in the description: **Please review! It doesn't have to be a good review! I don't care if you say it's the worst thing you've ever read (though I would take it as a kindness if you didn't) just as long as you review. Also, you don't _have_ to read my other story, but I'd really, really appreciate it if you did! Also, in case you haven't realized, I am _terrible_ at titles. Anyway, enjoy!

~Kitty G.

* * *

><p>Meifeng wandered through the crowds, savoring the faint scent of incense and the smell of whatever was on the grill (she knew better than to try it, but it smelled delicious), the shouts of haggling, the tinkling of the wind chimes that were the wares of one stall. She admired the small jade statues, the parasols, the jewelry that waited in ambush for anyone with money to spare. Most of all, she liked the people. So many people just pass by everyone they see, don't even spare them a thought, but she liked to observe them, think about them. Where was that woman running to, or whom was she running from? Were that couple always flower sellers? What was a proper-looking man like that doing on the Eavesdown docks?<p>

Meifeng reminded herself that she wasn't here to people-watch. She doubted any ships were going where she was headed, Greenleaf was a long way from Persephone, but if nothing else she could get a lift in the right direction.

"Where ya headed?" said a voice to her left, and she turned to see a girl about her own age smiling at her.

Walking closer, she replied "Greenleaf."

The smile grew. "Really? That's where we're going! Well, technically we're only taking passengers to Boros, but we can take you a bit farther. Why Greenleaf?"

"My wedding. My family lives on Greenleaf and they were dying to host it so-"

"You're kidding! You have got to be joking! My folks are on Greenleaf, and we were going there for my wedding!" She was positively beaming now. "Simon, honey, come here!" The prim-looking man she'd seen earlier came. "This woman's going to Greenleaf for her wedding, isn't that so strange?"

"Greenleaf? I thought we were only taking them to Boros."

"Well we're going to Greenleaf anyway."

The man leaned towards her and they argued in whispers for a bit. Meifeng thought she heard the word "River" and was very confused. What did this have to do with a river?

"Just don't get ahead of yourself," he said finally, "I'm going to talk to the captain."

"You already talked to the captain, and he told you what he thought. Don't think anything will have changed. You know how stubborn Mal is."

"That I do," he said wearily, and after kissing her briefly, went inside the ship.

"What was that about?" Meifeng asked.

"Oh, nothing…He doesn't think there will be enough space with passengers. Which I stupid; we've had too much space ever since…" She trailed off, her smile fading. After a moment, she hitched it back up, though it looked a bit forced now. "Well, he's just being silly."

They heard raised voices coming towards them. "They're coming, and that's final. We haven't taken on passengers since we took in the two of you, and we need the extra money." Simon and a haggard-looking man, presumably the captain, entered the cargo bay and immediately stopped talking. The new man smiled, a little strainedly.

"Hello," he said, striding towards them, "You must be our new passenger," Simon started to object, but he ignored him. "I'm captain Malcolm Reynolds, what's your name?"

"Meifeng Jones. But please, call me Mei." They shook hands. "My fiancé will be joining me, I hope that won't be a problem," she cast a glance at Simon.

"No, no. The more the merrier, as long as you can pay. You can pay, can't you?"

"Of course. Just let me call Lawrence."

She got an earpiece out of her pocket and pressed a few buttons before inserting it into her ear, "Lawrence, darling, I think I've found the perfect ship," there was a pause. "Umm, I'm across from a paper fan seller, there's an ad for Blue Sun to the left…Well, I know there are, but this one's slightly bigger than the others. Fine, I'll turn on the tracker." She took a small, rectangular electronic device out of her pocket and turned it on. "Hmm, you're a while away. Do you mind if I take the tour without you?…See you soon, bao bei. Love you!"

"How does that work?" The smiler asked.

"Whenever this is on, I can see where he is and he can see where I am, as long as we're on the same world. It's pretty cheap stuff."

"That, though," Mal said, pointing to her earpiece, "That's an expensive piece of equipment. Where'd you get it?"

"My parents gave it to me when I left home, so we could stay in touch. But it's not that expensive. Its at least five years old."

"Sorry, but we're not the most…modern...crew. We don't have much technology."

"Well, like I said, my parents got me this and Lawrence got me the tracker. I've never been the biggest fan of technology myself."

"Then you'll fit right in on this ship. Speaking of which, why don't I show you around, and you can get to know the crew," he gestured to the room they were standing in front of, "This is the cargo bay, nothin' much to say about it." They walked on. "This is our infirmary, I think you've met Simon, our medic. Best doctor flyin'. Anything happens, he'll patch you up." They ran up some staircases with open grating that gave Mei a strange sense of vertigo, then into a room with soft yellow walls and a floral pattern on the edges. Sitting at the table was a stony-looking woman who glared at Mei when she tried to smile at her. "This is the dining room, that there's the kitchen, you can help yourself. There are three sit-down meals a day; next one's in about 3 hours. And this is my first mate Zoe." The woman said nothing. Mal gave her a sad look before moving on.

"Is there something…wrong...with her?" Meifeng asked once they were out of earshot.

"Zoe? She hasn't been right since Miranda. Granted, I don't think any of us were quite right after that, but she just never really got over it."

"Miranda…you mean- Oh God! That woman, in the video, did she _know her?_" she asked, horrified. The footage from Miranda had given her nightmares, she couldn't even imagine what _that_ would be like.

"No, it wasn't that." He didn't expand, and there were a few moments of silence. "Just try not to smile in front of her, that makes her mad. Though it might just be when we do it. I think she considers our moving on an insult to his memory."

"Whose memory?"

"And this is where you'll be sleeping, and your fiancé if you don't mind. If not, we have another bedroom right next door he can use."

"Whose memory?" she repeated.

He ignored her and walked away.

There was something suspicious going on here, and Mei was beginning to thoroughly regret choosing this ship.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, Zoe, what d'you think?'

"She seems cheerful."

"That she does."

"I thought we had all our cheerful covered with Kaylee here."

"You can never have too much cheerful. We've needed another bright person ever since-" he shut up immediately, but the damage was done. They all stared from him to Zoe in startled silence.

"I think I'll go to bed." Zoe said, and walked stiffly form the room.

They sat in silence, listening as her footsteps died away. They waited a few minutes before they made a sound.

"_CAPTAIN_!" Kaylee shouted furiously.

"Hell, Mal, I've got more manners then that." Jayne said gruffly.

"It just popped out, I wasn't thinking!"

"Damn right you weren't thinking!" Mal had never seen Kaylee so angry.

"What's going on up here?" Meifeng appeared in the doorway.

"Nothing to do with you. Go back to your room." She stayed where she was.

"The captain told you to get lost." Jayne said threateningly, fingering the gun at his waist. She didn't move an inch.

"Mei," Kaylee said quietly, "It would be best if you just left."

"Not until you tell me what's going on."

"Wash." River appeared in the doorway from the bridge.

"River…" Simon said, rising out of his chair.

"No one says it anymore." She sounded close to tears. "Afraid. Afraid of the ghosts. _Wash!_" she said defiantly. "Wash a book. Fix a bible. Leaves! Leaves on the wind and books burning. All the ghosts! All my fault!" she cried and wailed, and Simon hugged her close.

"Shh, shh, its okay."

"All my fault" she whispered into his shirt.

They were all silent as Simon led River away, but as soon as they were gone, Meifeng couldn't keep silent any longer. "What the _hell_?"

The captain thought for a moment before replying, "Tell me, just how much do you know about Miranda?"

"Just what the video showed. And a few rumors, of course, but you can never trust everything you hear."

Mal sighed, and began to tell her everything that had happened since Simon had come onto their ship. It took a long time, and there were a few tears, especially from Kaylee. Mei just sat in silence and absorbed it all.

"He was her husband." He said finally. "Zoe's. It's been a year and she still hasn't recovered. I thought she was getting better, and then we said Greenleaf and it was like the day he died."

"Greenleaf?"

"She's hated leaves ever since Miranda, 'cause of what he said before he died." Meifeng didn't ask, just waited. "'I'm a leaf on the wind'" Mal said softly, "'Watch how I soar'" There was a moment of silence. "Plus, Greenleaf was where he and Zoe…Well, not met, but started to like each other."

Mei had been a psychiatrist for a few years, and these people clearly needed counseling. "Tell me about it."

"It was right before we got Kaylee, Wash had been on the ship a few months, and Zoe _hated_ him. And then of course, he shaved his mustache, and lo and behold-"

"Wash had a mustache?" Kaylee asked.

"Oh yeah, and it was the ugliest thing you ever did see. Then one day, out of nowhere, Zoe just shouts, 'Shave it off!' and it was _gone_, and suddenly they started getting along."

"There had to be more to it then that."

"I didn't see anything. One day, he has a mustache, she hates him. The very next day, its gone, she likes him. And you haven't seen it, Kaylee. It was enough to make you hate a person, believe me. Even a person like Wash."

"And Greenleaf?" Meifeng prompted.

"Well, I'm not sure what happened there, but all of a sudden, they were in love. Got married a few months later."

"That was a fun wedding! Remember Wash's vows?"

"'Do you swear not to exploit the fact that you can kill me with your pinkie?' 'Do you swear to love me, in sickness and in health, in wealth or in poverty, in shapeor fat, mutached or not, normal or horribly disfigured in a mining accident…'"

"He just kept going!"

"I think he was determined to keep going until that pastor laughed. I don't know how that man didn't, towards the end some of those were just so ridiculous! 'Winner or loser of a fight with a giant squid'"

"A giant squid?" Mei giggled.

"And he _still_ didn't laugh! That man was insane!"

"The pastor or Wash?"

"Both. God, that man used to make us laugh." His face suddenly fell. "Poor Wash…"

They fell silent.

"You're wrong." They all turned, startled, to see Zoe watching them. "It was a fight with a monkey butler." Then she turned and left as abruptly as she'd come, the slightest trace of a smile on her face.

* * *

><p>Meifeng's earpiece buzzed. "Hello?...OK, I'll meet you down there." She turned to the rest of them. "Lawrence is close, I should wait outside so he knows which ship it is."<p>

"I'll come, too. I don't take on passengers without meeting them first." Mal got up and led the way. As soon as they stepped outside, Mei ran up to a young man and hugged him. He was rather plain-featured, but vaguely familiar to Mal.

"This is the ship?" he asked, looking positively horrified. God, where had he seen him before? He was so familiar.

"Not this one, dear." he said. So familiar...

"Why not? Its perfectly fine, the crew are friendly, and its cheap. Besides, where are we gonna find another ship going to Greenleaf?"

"Will you just trust me?"he said sharply. Mal remembered. He drew his gun.


	3. Chapter 3

Lawrence. Lawrence Dobson, the Fed. But that was impossible. They'd killed him. They'd shot him and dumped the body on Whitefall. Then what was he doing here, walking and talking and very much alive?

"Mal, what-"

"Mei, step away from him."

"Excuse me?"

"I said step away." Mei did step back, not towards Mal but away from the both of them, for the two looked absolutely insane.

"You're dead."

"Evidently not."

"You were, though. There's no way you could have survived that."

Lawrence shed all pretense and gave a grin that was positively maniacal. "Good thing I had information, isn't it?"

"Would either of you like to inform me as to what the _hell_ is going on?" Mei shouted.

"Remember, I told you about the Fed who came on with Simon and River? This is him."

"Honey, you wouldn't really believe him over me? You just met him today, he's a smuggler, for Pete's sake!"

"How'd you know he was a smuggler?" she asked.

"What?"

"None of us said a word about smuggling, or crime of any sort, so why on earth-that-was would you say he was a smuggler?"

Lawrence whipped a pistol out of nowhere and shot it at Mal. It hit him in the arm and he began swearing in rapid Mandarin. Unable to shoot straight, he threw himself at Lawrence, his head smashing into the Fed's stomach. The gun slid from his fingers and Mei snatched it up, pointing it directly at Lawrence's head.

"You wouldn't shoot me," he said matter-of-factly.

"Watch me."

"What? On his word? You build trust quickly, Mei. And lose it easily, apparently. We've known each other for three years, we were engaged, and like _that_, you'd shoot me?"

"I don't think I've met you until today." Her hands weren't shaking. It was a distracted observation, but it disturbed her. She was holding a gun for the first time in her life, and pointing it at her fiancé, and her hands remained calm, even though her mind was on fire.

"Mei, don't kill him. Just give me the gun and get Jayne."

"Which one's Jayne?"

"The scary man."

"Got it."

She handed the gun to Mal and ran inside. She started shaking all over. _Stay calm_, she told herself, _Stay calm. Gorramit, Mei, pull yourself together! _

"Jayne!" she shouted, "Jayne, the captain needs you! Bring rope!"

The burly man she'd seen in the dining room appeared with rope and a rather large gun.

"You won't need that," she said, pointing to the weapon.

"Don't tell me what I need," he said coldly, "Where's the captain?"

"Outside."

He left without a word, leaving Mei shivering in the hallway. Her mind raced, she felt dizzy and sick, she needed to lie down. She ran blindly through the ship and threw open the door to her room. Inside, Zoe sat with her face buried in her hands.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize-" Mei said, backing out of the room.

"Sorry, is this your room now?" Zoe asked, straightening up.

Mei nodded, biting her lip._ Don't ask, don't ask, don't ask._

"What are you doing in a guest bedroom?" the words slipped out. _You never listen to me, do you? _Asked the tiny voice of common sense in her head.

"Can't sleep in my room anymore." She didn't elaborate, just sidestepped Mei and left the room, reminding her that she wasn't the only one with problems.

* * *

><p>"Wo de ma!"<p>

"Cap'n is that-?"

"…"

Those were the reactions he got when he called the crew into the cargo bay. Zoe said nothing, but her eyes ignited with the fire they'd been so lacking this past year.

"Indeed it is, Kaylee," he said, acknowledging her unfinished question, "And we gotta decide what to do with him. Obviously, we should question him, find out what he's doing in God's wide verse. I thought Jayne would be the one for the job, like last time. After that, though, there'll be some tough decisions, and you all oughtta help make them. There's not much we can do 'til we figure out what exactly is going on."

"Well than why'd you drag us all down here?"

"Just thought it would be best if you knew, is all. Any questions?"

They shook their heads.

"Good. Jayne, help me carry him to your bunk."

"Looks like I might finally get me that ear." Jayne muttered.

* * *

><p>"So why don't you start by telling us what the Hell is going on." Mal said, taking the duct tape off of his mouth, "Dead people don't usually fight quite so well. There <em>was<em> that one time though…" he thought of the time Tracey had attacked Simon.

"You really have no idea the kind of technology the Alliance has."

"Well, then, enlighten me."

"Enough to fix a little bullet wound, that's for sure."

"How'd they find you. Alliance sorts don't generally go near Whitefall."

He said nothing.

"Jayne."

Jayne pulled a large, shiny knife from his pocket.

"A tracker!" he blurted out. "Implanted in my left arm."

"Thank you, you've been quite helpful."

The moment he left the room, Lawrence rammed his knee into Jayne's stomach. He reached at the wall for support, grabbing a curtain and pulling it down, revealing a large assortment of guns. Lawrence took one and smashed it into Jayne's head, then grabbed his knife and began sawing at the ropes that around his wrists.

* * *

><p>Mei had to talk to Lawrence. She wasn't sure what she would say or what it would achieve, she just hoped it would clear her head. She'd heard Mal from her room, and knew he was in Jayne's bunk. She found the hallway that led to the bunks and looked at the names printed neatly above each hatch, with the exception of Kaylee's, which was written in big, curly letters and decorated with Christmas lights.<p>

When she climbed into Jayne's bunk, she quickly took in the unconscious Jayne and escaping Fed. Without thinking, she grabbed one of the guns from the wall and shot him.

She was still staring at the gun in her hand when Mal found her.

* * *

><p>Meifeng lay with her face buried in her pillow, crying her eyes out, when there was a knock on the door. She wiped her eyes and sat up.<p>

"Come in."

Mal walked in and looked at her, concerned. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.

"Am I_ okay?_" she stared at him, "I just shot my fiance."

"Yeah, um, sorry about that?" He shifted uncomfortably, clearly not used to comforting people.

"It's not your fault. Whose fault is it? I guess its mine, I should have shot him in the leg or something, I shouldn't have killed him, I shouldn't have killed him, oh God, I _killed _him!" she babbled hysterically.

Mal said nothing, just awkwardly put his arm on her shoulder.

"I'm home!" came Inara's voice from the direction of her shuttle. "Did I miss anything?"

* * *

><p>Zoe climbed down into the bunk. She hadn't been here in almost a year, since the day she'd gathered her things and fled to the guest bedroom. She tried to ignore the memories that flooded her mind. River speaking over the intercom, "No touching guns!", her and Wash laying in bed, "Here lies my beloved Zoe, my autumn flower, somewhat less attractive now that she's all corpsified and gross." Gorramit, she'd always thought she'd die first!<p>

She layed down on the bed, pulling the covers up to her ears and curling up into a ball. There was only one thought on her mind. Somebody had brought back that Fed. That meant they could bring Wash back, too. She was going to see Wash again.

"I'm coming, baby," she whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

"You should have seen me sooner," Simon said, wrapping a bandage around Mal's arm, where he'd been shot.

Mal ignored him. "Zoe, I know what you're thinking-"

"And what would that be, sir?"

Mal had had a long, unpleasant day, and was not in the mood for this. "Wash is dead!" Zoe flinched. "What I mean to say is," he said, trying to regain his calm, "he's at peace. No point risking all of our lives trying to drag him out of it."

"At peace? You're starting to sound like the Preacher, Captain. Who, in case you forgot, is also takin' a dirt-nap with baby Jesus*."

"Oh, remember that?" Kaylee giggled.

"And besides," Zoe continued, "I don't see how much peace someone can have with a harpoon through their chest."

"If you want to die trying to bring him back, that's your business, but you are not going to endanger all their lives as well! And besides, we don't know a thing about it."

"I wouldn't say-" Simon began, than stopped, either from his better judgment or the smoldering look Mal gave him.

"Yes?" Zoe asked, her gaze more intense than ever.

"I shouldn't-"

"What, Simon?" she said sharply.

"Well, in the hospital where I worked, back on Osiris, there was one wing that was for 'authorized personnel only,' not even the doctors were allowed in. I never thought much of it; those kinds of things were everywhere. But one day, I saw them bring a corpse in, and I could have sworn I saw the same person in the recovery ward the next day, alive."

"How was it guarded?"

"Card scanners, at the very least. Other than that, I'm not sure. I've never been inside it."

"Zoe!" the captain said threateningly.

"Why don't we vote on it?"

"We do not vote on my gorram ship!"

"All in favor of bringing back Wash and Book…"

Zoe raised her hand, as did Kaylee, looking apologetically at the captain. Simon, Inara and Mei tentatively followed suit. Jayne played with his hands for a bit before staring at the floor and lifting his arm into the air.

"All opposed…"

"Stop it! I'm serious, Zoe!" He did not raise his hand.

"It looks like you're outvoted, sir."

"I SAID STOP IT! _Right_ now!"

"Please, the captain's been shot. Arguing isn't doing it any good," Simon interjected.

"Okay. You rest up, Captain. We'll talk about it tomorrow."

They all left the infirmary, and Zoe went straight to the bridge. She'd been avoiding this as well for the past year, but she ignored all the bitter memories that rushed, unwelcome, into her brain, and clenched her teeth. River was there, facing the doorway, wide-eyed, expecting her.

"I raised my hand," she said flatly, "But no one saw me."

"What do you think?"

"Raising the dead. Bringing the ghosts. Not supposed to happen." She bit her lip. "But I want them back. And they want to be back." Her eyes lost their focus "They aren't at peace. Book went silent in the end, just read his bible, trying to find some explanation. But Wash still screams, now and again. And whispers. Just one name, over and over again."

Zoe refused to believe this. She could accept that this tiny, frightened thing was a genius, and a psychic, and a killer. But she couldn't talk to the dead. That was just too much. She told herself that it was her reason saying that, that this was just one ridiculous thing too much, but a part of her knew. She just couldn't accept it. _'Wash still screams." _

"Can you change the ignition sequence so Mal can't steer?" River nodded. "And set coordinates for Mr. Universe's moon." She nodded again, looking uncomfortable. Zoe wasn't much looking forward to digging them up either. To see the face, the one she had nightmares abut, and lovely dreams about. The one she had loved and feared more than any other. So beautiful. So dead. She reminded herself that it had to be done. It would make everything right. It would make the nightmares stop.

* * *

><p>Mei turned on the tap and cupped her hands under the gush of lukewarm water. She scrubbed her face thoroughly, trying to wash the day away. Had it really only been one day? In a single day, her entire life had been shattered. For a moment, she toyed with the thought that this was just an elaborate bad dream, but dismissed it. This was real. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she knew.<p>

She stared at her reflection in the mirror, trying to figure out who she was. Right now, she was someone in shock. Her hair was disshelved and her bright green eyes were hysteria-wide. She tried to remember her psychiatrist days, what she would have advised a patient in her condition. But that was so long ago, she could barely remember it all on a good day, and today was not her best day ever. So, she tried to smooth her ruby-red hair and compose her face. _Who are you? You are Meifeng Jones, and you are fine._

* * *

><p>Mal wanted to scream, or hurt something. More than anything else he wanted to leave the room, but Simon had threatened to sedate him if he didn't get some rest. It was just his arm, for Pete's sake, he shouldn't make such a big deal over it. And normally, Simon wouldn't have made such a fuss, but these were special circumstances. So now he was trapped in his room while those traitors, those hun dans, those, those…<p>

He decided he should just make a break for it. Maybe he could run down to the infirmary and hide the drugs. He was about to spring into action when the hatch opened up. He jumped. Mei climbed down, balancing a tray full of food with difficulty.

"Here, let me help you with that." He grabbed the precariously tilting tray from her.

"Thanks," she said, skipping the last few rungs and simply hopping to the floor.

"No problem. And, you know, thanks for this" he held up the tray.

"Listen, Mal, I'm sorry."

"I just don't get it. You never met them. You have no reason to help them and every reason not to. Why are you getting involved?"

Mei thought before she answered. "I guess it was the stories. And the fact that anyone who includes a monkey butler in their vows is worth helping," she said. "What about you? Why aren't you helping?"

"I want to, I really do. But I'm the captain. It's my job to worry about their safety. If any of them got hurt, it would be my fault. And something like that…"

"There's just one thing I don't understand."

"What?"

"'Takin' a dirt nap with baby Jesus'"

* * *

><p>"And how did Shepard Book react?" Mei was just about dying from laughter.<p>

"Oh, he was laughing as hard as the rest of us."

"If I ever said anything like that to my aunt, she would…I don't even know! Either slap me or die of fright. She was always a bit of a nut when it came to that sort of thing."

"That was the great thing about Shepard Book. You just couldn't make him mad."

Perhaps it was the laughter, or the way the light made her eyes sparkle and her hair shine crimson, but it occurred to Mal that Mei was beautiful. Not like Inara, the charming, disarming kind of beautiful that made you want to stare, but a sort of friendly beautiful, made of laughter and smiles, that made Mal want to hug her. And he did.

"Mal, what are you doing?"

"I'm not entirely sure."

She pulled away from him. "I really can't do this right now. I was engaged this morning."

"I didn't mean anything like that. I was just- I just- Its been a long day."

"Okay," Mei said, but her face was full of concern and confusion. Well, she wasn't the only one who was confused.

* * *

><p>*End of Chapter 4*<p>

* * *

><p>*On the <em>Serenity<em> outtakes, there was one when they got to Haven and found everyone dead where Mal said "I want them laid out on the nose of our ship, put Book front and center, he's our friend, we should honor him. Kaylee, find that kid who's taking a dirt nap with baby Jesus, we need a hood ornament." Obviously, that's not what it meant in this context, but I just felt like including it. **.com/watch?v=NpMkqWKK7qg&feature=feedf** is the video, its hilarious. It also has "Mal's poignant revelations on the finality of death via the art of interpretive dance"

By the way, I'd really appreciate feedback on my River, because she is very hard to write for. And, of course, any feedback would be wonderful.


	5. Chapter 5

"Is Mal coming?" Zoe asked as Mei walked in.

"No. And he told me to tell you that if anyone got hurt, it was your fault, and we shouldn't be doing this and all that. Just the usual."

"Okay, so, let's get down to business. River, mei mei, I think it would be best if you stayed here. You're a little young to be a passable doctor. Inara, you can stay and watch her."

"Why can't I come? I want to help."

"You look too much like a Companion. They'd notice that you didn't belong. Now, Simon, I think it would be best if you stayed behind on the ambulance in case anyone gets hurt."

"But I know the hospital better than you."

"You can give us directions from the ship. If you got injured, then we'd all be in trouble. Jayne, you don't have to go if you don't want to."

"I'm going."

Zoe raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. "And you, Mei? We'd understand if you stayed behind."

Mei considered it. It might be fun to staying the ship with Mal and River and possibly Kaylee, both of whom she'd begun to love like sisters. She thought about what Mal had just said to her, and what he'd been telling her for the past week. She didn't have to do this. But she'd had such a boring life! It was about time for some adventure.

"I'll come."

"Kaylee?"

"I'm in."

"Okay. So, Kaylee's the only one who can fly it, so she should stay with Simon in the ambulance. Which leaves Me, Jayne and Mei in the hospital. Is everyone okay with that?"

They all nodded or murmured agreement.

"Let's go raise the dead."

* * *

><p>Mei was glad the stretchers were closed and she could no longer see the corpses' faces. Retrieving the bodies had been one of the hardest things she'd ever done. She hated looking at Wash. He was no longer just a character in the stories, he was a real person with a face and a life and a gaping hole in his chest.<p>

She was considerably less nervous after hearing about Ariel. (She'd asked Kaylee why exactly they had an ambulance.) They'd already done this. What on Earth-that-was was there to worry about?

* * *

><p>Zoe had never been more worried in her life. Her breathing was shaky and there was an unpleasant knot of nerves in the back of her spine. They had upgraded security since the Ariel job, they were going to check inside the stretchers and see that they had been dead for a long while and all of them, her and Jayne and poor innocent Mei, were going to be arrested or killed and it would be all her fault. And Wash would stay dead.<p>

But, like last time, they didn't ask any questions or open up the stretcher, just told them to take them to the morgue. They followed the route Simon had told them and found the restricted wing. Once again, her nerves struck up as she took the authorization card they had found in the Fed's pocket and put it into the scanner. It flashed green and the door opened.

Two armed guards stood inside. "Can I see your authorization?" one of them asked.

Zoe waited until they were all inside and the doors clanged shut before she shot them both.

* * *

><p>The guard watching the security feed was very bored. Nothing mildly interesting had happened since he had gotten the job. So, when he watched someone walk into a high-security area and shoot two guards, it was with great pleasure that he sounded the alarm.<p>

* * *

><p>The federals also had very dull jobs, that involved quite a bit less excitement then they'd thought. So, when the alarm sounded, nearly all of them rushed to the scene, though a few of them stayed behind, just in case.<p>

When they got to the sealed door, they decided there was no point trying to force entry. So, they waited.

* * *

><p>The room was smaller than they'd expected, with only a few wheelchairs in the corner and on large machine in the center. The device looked a bit like an MRI machine with no ceiling, a large white half-tube. In large letters on one side were the words "WARNING: No clothing, jewelry, dentures, etc. should be worn inside equipment," as well as instructions. They were fairly straightforward. All they had to do was put them inside it and press a button. Simple.<p>

Zoe popped open Wash's stretcher first and began to remove his clothes. Mei shifted uncomfortably and turned away, and Jayne was facing the doorway with his gun drawn.

Zoe placed Wash inside the machine, and pressed the button. Mei turned back now, curious as the contraption whirred and shined an odd blue light over Wash's body. After a second's pause, the wound in his chest began to glow in the same shade, and they could see new skin begin to grow. Little blue sparks were also appearing in other places, taking care of little cuts and scrapes. After they had all faded, the machine grew louder than ever and the whole corpse began to glow and vibrate. Suddenly, everything stopped and Wash opened his eyes.

"-soar." Suddenly his face grew concerned. "Zoe?"

She grabbed his hand. "I'm here, it's alright. You're safe."

"What's going on? Where are we? Is this real?"

"It is. We're in a hospital in Osiris. You- You died, honey."

"I what?"

"You died. The Reavers hit you with one of those gorram harpoons. That was a year ago."

"A year…" he said dreamily.

"And then, well, a lot of things happened, and we found out about this machine that could bring people back to life. And, well, here we are…"

Wash thought it all over before he said anything. Then he said, "Am I naked?"

"Uh-huh. Here, put this on." She handed him one of the hospital uniforms that they'd brought with the and helped him up. Whenever he saw Mei, he stared at her in horror.

"Who is this?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I-" Mei muttered and turned away, her face growing as red as her hair and her namesake.*

"This is Mei. I'll tell you more once we get back Sheppard Book."

Stripping the Sheppard of his clothes was an awkward affair, and Zoe decided it would be more polite if she turned him on his stomach. It was then that she discovered what was inked on his back.

"The Preacher has a tattoo."

"What?"

"Look."She showed them. "Why would he have a tattoo?" she asked, mostly to herself.

"Maybe he was in a gang." Wash suggested. Zoe laughed, actually laughed, for the first time in nearly a year, at the image of Sheppard Book on a motorcycle. And Wash didn't even realize what he'd done, because he didn't realize what a living Hell the last year had been.

They put the Sheppard into the machine and pressed the button, and watched as he went through the same process Wash had.

"This isn't exactly how I'd pictured Heaven," he said after a while.

"You're not dead, Preacher. Not any more." Zoe explained everything that had happened, including Mei and Dobson, to Wash and Book.

"By the way, this is Mei. Mei, this is Wash and Sheppard Book. They were-"

"Oh, Mal and Kaylee told me about them."

"Did they?"

"Yeah. Back when you were… quiet."

"Speaking of Mal and Kaylee, where are they and the rest of the gang?" Wash asked.

"Simon and Kaylee are waiting in the ambulance, Inara and River are back on Serenity and Mal…" She explained the arguments they had had.

"You held a mutiny?" Wash asked, somehow managing to look horrified while trying not to laugh.

"Its not that big a deal, I mean… I'm sure he understands. Anyway, we should get out of here. Get in the wheelchair." He obeyed, grinning broadly, while Mei took Sheppard Book in another one.

She opened the doors, expecting a quick trip to the ambulance and then a nice ride back to the ship. She wasn't expecting 20 armed Feds.

* * *

><p>They were really rather lucky. Jayne and Zoe whipped out their guns and were more than up to the challenge of twenty tired and unprepared guards. All of them were down in a few seconds. But not before two of their bullets found their marks.<p>

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Five<p>

* * *

><p>* Meifeng means 'beautiful pheonix.'<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry this chapter's so short, but I think it works best this way. And I'm very, very sorry for who I'm about to shoot, but it had to be done.

* * *

><p>Wash saw the Feds lined up outside the doors and heard gunfire. Then there was a burning pain in his shoulder and everything became blurry. He could hear Zoe shout something, he thought it was his name. He also heard someone next to him fall over. He knew that that should mean something, but it was hard to think, and he found himself in an odd state of numbness. He was dimly aware of people shouting, and moving. How was he moving? The word 'wheelchair' hovered in his mind, but he couldn't remember for the life of him what a wheelchair was.<p>

Suddenly there was a pain in his arm and he was in the ambulance, and he could recognize Simon, saying something and looking intensely at him before turning to someone beside him. Oh God, someone else was hurt! He tried to see who it was, but he couldn't turn his head.

Zoe replaced Simon and loomed over him, gripping his hand tightly.

"Wash, can you hear me? Stay with me, baby." Wash tried to reply, but he found it very hard to work his mouth.

"It's going to be okay," she told him, but he could tell she didn't believe it.

* * *

><p>Mal was worried sick about the others, and all of Inara's assurances that it would be fine hadn't helped once River started screaming.<p>

"Mal, open up, quick!" came Kaylee's voice over the intercom. The panic in her voice told him that all his worst fears had come true. With apprehension, he opened the doors to let them through.

The moment the ambulance landed in the cargo bay, the door opened and they started wheeling someone out on a stretcher. It was Wash. His mind stopped for a moment, but then he began shouting like he'd planned to.

"I told y-" he began, but stopped dead as the next stretcher came out.

Mei lay upon it, and there was a small red bullet wound in her chest.


	7. Chapter 7

"Zoe, can I see you outside for a moment?" Mal fought to keep his voice calm.

"Not now, sir."

"Yes, now. Right now."

"No, Mal!" Her eyes were blazing. Mal glanced from her to Wash and relented.

"You have two minutes."

"Thank you, sir," she said coldly. Mal turned his attention to Simon.

"Are they going to be okay?" he whispered.

"I can't say. The ambulance wasn't very well stocked, I couldn't do much… It's really a miracle they're alive."

Mal said nothing, just nodded and left the infirmary. It was well over two minutes later when Zoe came out, but he hadn't had the heart to go in and get her.

"This is your fault." He had intended to shout, but it came out barely above a whisper. Zoe hung her head, but did not reply. "I told you. I warned you that this would happen. I asked you, I begged you not to go. " His voice began to rise.

"Well you didn't help!" she shouted.

"What?"

"You knew we were going to go through with it whether you liked it or not. If you hadn't been so stubborn, you could have come and helped, and maybe they wouldn't have gotten hurt!"

"Don't you _dare_ try to blame this on me. It was your plan, your-"

"I never said it wasn't my fault!" she burst out. "I just-" She buried her face in her hands and sat down heavily on the couch, "I just wanted Wash back."

* * *

><p>Mal found Zoe asleep in her chair by Wash's bedside. He shook her shoulder.<p>

"You should get to bed. I'll take this shift," he said with a tired smile. Since their fight, things had more or less gone back to normal between the two of them, united by their common pastime of sitting in the infirmary and watching the patients. Wash was improving greatly, back to his normal, carefree self, but Mei hadn't stayed awake for more than a few minutes in the last week.

"Hello, captain!" Wash said brightly when he woke up, "Sure is nice of you to visit me so often." He studied Mal's face for a moment. "I'm really sorry about what happened, I-"

"We talked about this before. Weren't your fault. You didn't ask her to help. Hell, no one did. I just don't understand that girl."

"You talkin' about me?" mumbled Mei. Mal spun around to look at her. Her eyes were still closed, but she was smiling. With what looked like great effort, she opened her eyelids a crack, and smiled a bit wider. "'Lo, Mal. How's it going?"

"Fine. Ni ne?"

"I've been better."

"Well, you should rest."

"I've been restin' for so long," she moaned, "Even my dreams are getting boring. I just had the longest dream about shopping for socks."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Can you tell me a story?"

"Um…

"I've got some good ones if you want to hear them!" Wash called.

"OK, go."

He thought for a moment. "Once upon a time, there was a boy named Harry Potter-"

"I've already read Harry Potter."

"Really? Okay then. Once, there was a man named John Watson who-"

"And Sherlock Holmes."

"You like old Earth-that-was classics?"

"Yep."

"Hmm… How 'bout this one: There was once a girl named Lyra-"

"Oh, I love the Golden Compass!" she said. Wash sighed.

"I'd be willing to hear it again." Mei offered.

Wash smiled and began, "Well, Lyra lived in Jordan College, the richest and greatest of all the colleges in Oxford…" Mei closed her eyes and listened contently as Wash retold the story of Lyra's fantastic journey, and it was a while before she realized that Mal was holding her hand. It felt strange for a second, but it was comforting, so she squeezed his hand and let it be.

* * *

><p>"… and Lyra gathered Pan into her arms and walked with him into the sky."<p>

"She's asleep, Wash."

"Oh."

"That was a nice story."

"Well, I didn't write it. If I did, there would be considerably more ninjas. I mean, really, there are witches and daemons and armored bears, would it kill them to fit in a few ninjas? Ah well…" he sighed. "She seems nice," he said abruptly, "I can see why you like her so much."

"What makes you think I like her 'so much?'"

"Well, you've been staring at her for the past week."

"I felt bad. She's not like us, she's never been shot before."

"If you say so."

* * *

><p>"Ni ai wo ma?*"<p>

"Of course." It was Wash's first night back in his own bed, and he had expected Zoe to want to talk. Still, that was an odd question to ask.

"Then promise me something."

"Anything."

"Don't die again." Her face was deadly serious.

"I wasn't planning on it," he laughed.

"I'm serious. I nearly died last time, if I lost you again… Just promise."

"Sure thing, bao bei. But you have to promise me something. If I do die again, move on!"

"Wash-"

"I mean it! No more bringing me back, no being 'quiet.' I'm guessing that meant you were depressed?"

"Well, what did you expect? That I would just forget?"

"I would have hoped you'd let go. Live a normal life again. Can you promise me you'll do that?"

"Fine."

"And thanks. It was stupid and suicidal, but I appreciate it."

"I missed you."

"I really didn't have time to miss you. One second, I was on the bridge, the next I was in that room. And you were always there."

"So, there was no…screaming?"

"What?"

"Nothing. Just something River said."

He snuggled closer to her. "Wo ai ni."

"I love you, too."

* * *

><p>* This hasn't been confirmed by either Firefly or my Chinese teacher, but there's no reason it shouldn't mean "Do you love me?"<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

Mei felt bad about lying to her parents, but what else could she do? Explain that she had been shot when trying to revive a couple of smugglers who she had never met, after, of course, shooting Lawrence, who was actually an under-cover Federal who had been brought back to life by the alliance? So, instead, she told them they had gotten caught in the crossfire of a gunfight on Persephone. Lawrence had been killed, and Mei was dying in the street when Mal had found her and brought her aboard Serenity, where they had helped heal her and given her a ride home.

"So what now?" her mother asked kindly.

"Well, they're having a wedding next week in Greenleaf, and I want to go. After that, though, I don't know."

"Well, you're welcome to stay here until you get back on your feet. Right now, you should get some rest. You've had a rough few weeks." Mei couldn't argue with that.

* * *

><p>Kaylee's wedding dress was beautiful and insanely fluffy. Her smile was even more radiant than usual as she stood at the altar and clutched her bouquet. River was her maid of honor, and Mal was the best man. One side of the aisle was packed with all of Kaylee's relatives, while the other side just held six people: Wash, Zoe, Sheppard Book, Jayne, Inara, and Mei. Both sides held her family.<p>

Mei was wearing a dress she had borrowed from Inara, far more beautiful than anything she owned. The skirt was black silk decorated with silver dragonflies, with a wide red and gold sash and a top made of wispy black lace that did not entirely cover the wound in her chest.

When Kaylee threw the bouquet, it soared over the hands of all the women and landed in Jayne's lap. He tossed it quickly to Mei.

"Oh no, its yours!" she said, tossing it back.

"I'd be willing to perform the ceremony…" Sheppard Book offered.

The reception was held outside, with Christmas lights strung around trees and chairs set up in a circle around the grass dance floor. A band began to play, and a flock of men was surrounding Inara in seconds.

Mei walked over to Mal and held out her hand, "Would you like to dance?"

"Are you sure you're up to it?"

"I'll be fine."

They strode out into the crowd of dancers as the band began an up-beat song. Neither of them was very good, and there were a lot of mistakes and a lot of laughter. The music slowed and the lead singer crooned:

"Maybe one day you'll understand

I don't want nothing from you but to sweetly hold your hand*"

Inara swept past with one of Kaylee's faster cousins, and River wandered by, dancing alone with more grace than any of the couples. Zoe stayed resolutely in her seat while Wash tried to get her to dance.

"Mei, can you talk some sense into my wife?"

"Its very fun!"

"I don't dance."

"You know, if I died tomorrow, you'd be very sorry…" Mal and Mei could hear them arguing as they resumed their dance. When the new song started, they could see Wash finally coaxing her onto the dance floor while they exited it.

"You should probably sit down a while, I doubt this is doing your chest any good."

"You know, ever since I got shot, everyone's been telling me that. 'You should sit down,' 'You should rest.'"

"That would be because you got shot."

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean I have to rest 24/7! I need some excitement."

"Don't you think you've had enough excitement this month?"

"No. You know, the most exciting thing in my life before I got on your ship was the time I thought my favorite singer was coming to Greenleaf. (He ended up not coming, but I was happy when I thought he was.) And then, in a month, I shoot my fiancé, bring people back from the dead, and get shot."

"Sorry about all that-"

"Don't be. Until the getting shot thing, I was having the time of my life."

"Yeah, but you got _shot_!"

"I guess that's the risk you take for a little adventure."

"You know…"

"Yes?"

"You are absolutely insane." He paused. "But so am I."

"So can I stay?"

"What?"

"Can I stay? On Serenity."

"You only paid to go as far as Greenleaf."

"You don't have a cook."

"Huh?"

"And I don't have a job."

"Are you a good cook?"

"Not terrible. And from my experience with your cooking, it pretty much has to be an improvement."

"Hey! Don't talk to your captain like that!"

"So I'm in?"

"Sure."

She shook his hand. "Thank you, Captain Reynolds. I'm sure this business relationship shall be mutually beneficial."

"Indeed." As he walked away, Mei could have sworn she heard him mutter "absolutely nuts."

* * *

><p>~The End~<p>

* * *

><p>*This is from the song "Folding Chair" by Regina Spektor. I originally made my own lyrics, but I think this works better and it's a little shout-out to Regina fans.<p>

* * *

><p>So, there you go. All comments are appreciated, even negative ones. And, in case you're interested, I'm already working on another Firefly fanfiction set after this one. It addresses a certain line in Jaynestown. Thanks for reading this far, I hope you liked it. If you did <em>comment! <em>Even if you didn't, you should comment.

Also, I would like to thank everyone who has commented, particularly 'LaLa,' who has commented four times so far.


End file.
